SMILE: Not So Happy Holidays
by Raydiva
Summary: One Shot Sequel to SMILE. Its the holidays. Jack and Maddie are once again fighting over the existence of Santa while Danny is still recovering from the events in TUE.


**Note: In case you didn't know this is a one shot based on my previous Danny Phantom story 'SMILE'. If you haven't already read it, you might want to if nothing else to be introduced to Agent Fenton, Cole and the whole concept behind S.M.I.L.E.**

 **This started out as an attempt of a sequel which I had hoped to be done by Christmas but I just couldn't get past the first chapter. Oh well, at least its something….right?**

 **SMILE: Not so Happy Holidays  
**

 _Bruised and hurt, Danny landed on the ground and slowly looked up when his evil future self, Dan, asked,"What makes you think you can change my past?"_

 _Danny_ stru _ggled to his knees as he replied, "Because I promised my family."_

 _Dan Phantom laughed and said, "Oh, you are such a child. You promised!?"_

 _"Yes!" Danny replied as he got to his feet. Then with a ghostly wail roared, "I PROMISED!" The force of Danny's newly discovered ability knocked Dan Phantom off his feet. Partially stunned, Dan cried out, "That power—it's not possible. I don't get that power until ten years from now."_

 _Danny Phantom flew over, clenched his fist and said, "I guess the future isn't as set in stone as you think it is."_

 _The teen then roared his ghostly wail once more, this time with all his ghostly strength behind it. Windows broke as Dan Phantom was once again thrown by the force. He crashed into a building that then collapsed upon him._

 _Phantom fell once again to his knees as his power fled him and he transformed back into his human form of Danny Fenton. Panting he looked up as he heard the sound of rubble being pushed aside and saw Dan Phantom break free of the collapse building. His flaming hair now almost out, his costume torn to shreds and ectoplasm dripping from open wounds. His right hand grasping his injured chest, Dan growled, "Well, that's it, isn't it."_

 _Danny's eyes narrowed as he pulled out his Fenton Thermos and said, "Time's up."_

 _As the evil ghost was pulled into the thermos, he roared, "I may be too late to escape, but you're too late to save them!"_

 _Danny turned and raced to where his family, friends and teacher were trapped. He tried to transform but he had used all his power on the ghostly wail. He trips, looks up in time to see the people most important to him one last time before the restaurant explodes and screams, "Noooo!"_

Danny eyes opened only to see the large Orion Nebula poster he had placed on his ceiling. He sits up and places a hand on his sweating forehead just before noticing he was actually floating. Once he did he yelped as he fell back down onto the bed.

A quiet knock and his sister asking through the door if he was alright gave proof that he had actually screamed in his sleep.

A few minutes later, Jazz was worriedly making her way back to her room. This whole future evil self along with seeing his friends and family being killed was no doubt hurting her little brother on a deep level. The nightmares were proof of that. The girl shivered and pulled her robe in closer as she made her way back to her own room. Even she was shaken slightly and she didn't even remember being blown up thanks to a ghost called Clockwork. Just the idea on how close...Jazz sighed as she closed her bedroom door and then sat at her desk. Glancing at her clock once more to prove that it was 5:45 in the morning and she would have been getting up soon anyway so there was no point in going back to bed. The bright, young woman considered getting ready for the day but then seeing the newest photo on her wall changed her mind. It was a photo of the entire Fenton family, including their aunt who had visited them not too long ago.

"Of course, "Jazz whispered to herself as she grabbed her laptop and turned it on. A little later a fully dressed Jazz typed up an email and used the encryption software her aunt gave her before sending it off. She then turned off her computer with a smile and said, "If anyone might be able to help Danny, it would be Aunt Jessica."  
 **  
(Few days later.** **On the way to the FentonWorks.)**

Just inside the city limits of Amity Park, a sporty looking sedan raced down an empty road and as it passed jazzy holiday music could be heard playing. A little later, the car stopped at a donut shop just as the OPEN sign lit up. The holiday music continued to play loudly as the car door opened to allow a woman in a professional looking pants suit and low heels stepped out. With smooth easy moves that seemed to be almost in time to the music, she walked towards the store. She then made her way into the donut shop, nodded to the cashier as she looked over the already prepared selections. Frowning she asked, "How long until the Apple-n-Spice and Lemon fills?"

The cashier yawned as he glance down at his watch and then answered, "Should be no more than five minutes. One of the guys had to call in so they're a little behind."

"No hurry, "the woman said with a shrug, "At least I'll know they'll be fresh."

She then proceeded to make her order of a large coffee and a dozen mixed donuts that included the two each of the Apple-n-Spice and Lemon filled as well as some other flavors. She took the coffee to a slightly hidden table in a corner behind some cheap decorative plastic plants.

After putting the cream and sugar in the coffee the way she preferred she pulled out her smart-phone to check the morning news.

She ignored the sound of the door opening but then the distinctive clicks of a gun had her putting her phone away. "Hands up! Don't move!" a man ordered. The woman stood up and saw a pair of darkly dressed men holding shotguns. One of the guns was aimed directly into the cashier's face. The cashier shook as he held his hands up and tried not to look at the men in the eye.

The second man demanded, "Who else is here? Who owns that car outside?!"

The woman stood up, revealing her long dark hair with its striking white streak. "I do, "she said. As the second man turned to aim his shotgun at her, she added with a shrug, "Well it's actually a rental."

The first one still holding his gun in the shaking cashier's face ordered, "Toss the keys over here. Now!"

"Ok, ok, "the woman said calmly as she pulled out the keys out of her pocket and tossed them over. The men turned away from her after the second man caught the keys. The first one said to the cashier, "Now empty the cash register…"

"Excuse me, "the woman called out and then the three males looked back towards her and saw a black gun hanging loosely between a finger and thumb, "I also have this. Would you need this as well?"

The two robbers turned both their shotgun towards the business woman yelling, "Put it down! Put it down! Now!"

"Ok, ok…I don't want any trouble, "the woman said holding her free hand up in and kept the gun hanging loosely in the air, "

"Toss the piece over here, "one of the men said glaring at the woman over his shotgun.

The woman shrugged slightly and said, "I rather not throw it and risk it going off. Would it be alright if I slide it over?"

The men glanced at each other briefly and the second one answered, "Slide it over to my feet. Don't try anything stupid."

"Alright, "the woman said and then with a wave of her hand she said, "I'm just going to move around these plants and then slide it on over to you."

The first man turned his focus back onto the cashier, tossing over a bag and demanding that he put all the cash into it. The second man step over to the side as the woman walked around the decorative plants. The man watch as the woman knelt down to slide the gun over. His eyes focused on the strange gun, she quickly reached over and took hold of completely full sugar dispenser and threw it forcefully into the side of the face of the first man at the counter. The second man was still on the ground picking up the gun as he looked over his should to see what happened. While he was distracted, the woman raced over and using the wall as a spring board jumped, dodging a shot that the second man fired and kicked the man in the stomach. As that man fell forward, she wrenched the shotgun out of his grip and used it as a club knocking the first man, who was still recovering from the sugar powered attack, out and then proceed to whack the back of the other man's head.

Through out all this the cashier just watched stunned and now stood there his hands still raised. He watched as the woman dropped the shot gun onto the counter and then reached down to pick up her pistol. "Sorry about the mess, "she said as the baker finally poked his head into the room. The cashier and baker just stood there, the cashier's hands still up in the air. The woman said, "Are those donuts done?"

 **(A little later)**

Sliding into the car she said as she tossed the donuts into the back seat, "Next time, Cole, you can get your own damn donuts."

A scruffy haired male sat up with a yawn and opened up the box. He pulled out one of the Apple-n-Spice donuts and said before biting into the warm pastry, "You didn't need my help and you actually enjoyed stopping those two men from hurting anyone."

The woman shook her head with a smile as she started up the car and proceeded to drive away. As the tail lights of the car faded in the distance, a ghostly figure of a mustached man floated across the street towards the donut shop, muttering, "Time to make the donuts…"

 **(Insert Danny Phantom Theme Song. If you don't know it, YouTube it.)**

"Merry Christmas! Happy Holidays! Happy Hanukah!" said smiling Samantha 'Sam' Manson as she waved to the mall holiday crowd. She saw one of her classmates and walked over to say, "Merry Christmas, Mikey."

"You!? Are being cheery!?"said Mikey startled by the unusual mood that the school's resident Goth was in. He then ran off in panic yelling, "It's a trap! It's a traaaaap!"

In her black, grey and purple winter clothes, Sam placed her hands on her hips and asked, "What's with him?"

With a frown Danny replied, "What's with you?"

Tucker smiled and said, "Aw, perk up, Danny. I know you're in your annual holiday funk, but this is the one time of year Sam isn't instantly dour. "

As the boys were talking, Sam yelled out towards a passing shopper, "Happy Kwanza!"

"I know, "said Danny with a growl, "but I hate the holidays!"

"I don't get it, "said Sam hearing what Danny said, "How can anybody hate this time of year? I don't even celebrate it and I love it."

"That's right, "said Tucker quietly as he neared the girl, "You don't know about…the Fight."

"The Fight?"

 **(FentonWorks Living Room)**

Holiday music played in the background as Jessica and Cole sat down on the couch.

"You agree with me don't you?"asked Maddie with a angry looking smile as she handed Jessica and Cole each a mug full of hot chocolate.

"Nonsense! She's my sister so she's knows I'm right!"yelled Jack as he dropped a plate of fudge on the coffee table.

With a raised eyebrow, Jessica said, "You two are not still fighting over..."

"Santa Clause is a Ho-Ho-Hoax!"the teal jumpsuit wearing woman snarled into Jack's face.

Jessica Fenton face palmed when it dawned on her that she was going to be stuck listening to Jack and Maddie fight over the existence of Santa Claus for at least the next week, maybe two.

"Heretic! Santa's real as real can be!"Jack yelled back.

Cole tilted his head slightly and then slightly smiled. "They're enjoying this, "he said quietly to the dark haired woman sitting next to him, not worried one bit that he would be heard by the arguing pair.

"Maybe, but it's still painful to listen, "said Jessica with a sigh. She then frowned as she watched the married couple continue to fight, "I wonder how Jazz and Danny has dealt with it over the years?"

When she turned to look back at her companion, he was gone.

 **(Fenton Lab)**

"It won't help, "said Cole sitting on one of the cleaner lab tables.

"Who...Cole!?"said a startled Danny, dropping his bag of holiday ornaments and decorations, "What..how…why are you here?"

"You need help, "said Cole as if that was the meaning of the universe. A loud thud followed by muffled voices of his parents continued discussion of the existence of Saint Nick caused Danny to tighten his hands into fists and his eyes to flicker green. Seeing this Cole nodded as if making a decision and said, "Let's go." The half-spirit said as he stood up walked over to take hold of Danny's upper arm and lead him towards the portal."

"Go? Go where?" Danny asked surprised enough not to fight the grip.

"Away, "said Cole, "To some place quiet so that I can listen as you talk."

 **(Later in an Unknown location)  
**  
"What is this place, "said Danny looking around in amazement as they walk through a courtyard. Cole lead Danny through the portal and eventually the two reached a door that looked almost like a mirror except the glass looked like water when touched. Cole tapped the mirror's frame and the watery glass lit up bright sending out a splash of energy towards the pair. The older half-spirit then lead the younger half-ghost through the 'mirror' and into a place that took Danny's breathe away. From the mirror was a cobble-stone path that led towards larger roads that in turn lead to what appeared to be more mirrors but most the others were dark in comparison to the one they just stepped through. Along the roads and paths, strange trees grew or that what he could only guess to be trees. They had no leaves and the branches seemed to roll up into an artificial looking sphere. There were also a few strange statues here and there, but it was not the cobblestones paths/roads, the trees or the statues that took Danny's breathe away but the very air. You could see the air as if it was water. He moved his right hand in front of him and could see the waves it caused as is passed. Danny turned to face Cole and said, "Come on, you just can't take me to a place like this and…"

"A roadway for an empire long dead before even I came to be, more than that I do not know or bothered to find out, "He said with a shrug, "I have found it useful at times when I needed a quiet place to be alone."

"Long before you even came to be…How old are you?" said Danny who then remembered his manners and added, "Sorry!"

"To be honest, I don't really know but we are not here to talk about me, "replied Cole who then tilted his head slightly. After a few seconds, he added, "Perhaps hearing my story will help you with yours? Not sure."

"My story? Nothing to say really, Mom and Dad fight every Christmas. I'm…"

"Jazz asked Jessica to help you, "Cole said, "She can only do so much. I…have a better understanding of what it is like to see oneself as a possible a monster."

Danny sat down on the ground and covered his head. "She shouldn't have…, "he then looked up and said angrily, "How can you possibility understand what I'm going through!?"

Cole sat down on the ground next to Danny and looked off into the distance. He sighed and then said, "When I first started to become human, I didn't know what I was. I thought I was the ghost of a boy that died painfully alone, forgotten. I tried to help others who were also in pain by ending that pain."

"Ending the pain?"

Cole closed his eyes. "I killed them but eventually someone stopped me. He showed me that killing wasn't the only or even the right answer. Later I found a home and friends. I asked them to destroy me if I ever started to hurt people again. I was afraid for so long, but they helped me. Made it so I was more human, more real, more stable. You are already human, already real, but you have lost part of your stability. Let us help. "

 **The End.**


End file.
